He came back with one of the greatest three-catch, 24-yard Sundays in league history.

His first catch came on a fourth-and-goal from the 1, on the Browns’ second series of the game. It was a statement play in a situation where coaches would take the field goal and the early lead 90 percent of the time.

What Rob Chudzinski thinking?

“I felt good about what we had, game-plan wise,” he said. “It was important in this game for our guys to have the mentality to play to win. That drive, I think, exemplified that.”

Bess fought to get open just past the goal line and caught Jason Campbell’s touchdown pass in traffic.

Early in the second quarter, Bess made his second reception, a 20-yard catch and run for another touchdown. The earlier TD had been to the Dawg Pound side. This one finished in the opposite corner.

A huge chunk of game passed before Bess made his third and final catch, on a fourth-and-1 from the Baltimore 43 with just over three minutes left. Cleveland led 21-18.

“It was maybe a little more than a yard that time,” Chudzinski said. “We had the opportunity to take the game at that point.

“It was a potential punt situation, but Baltimore was able to drive so well. I felt good about our guys being able to convert.

“Jason made a whale of a play. He scrambled, bought time. Davone kept working to get open.”

It was a monumental 3-yard gain. Bess didn’t want to toot his horn about making what looked like a tough catch.

Page 2 of 2 - “Did it look like a tough catch?” he said.

It looked way tougher than some of the would-be catches that have turned into drops. His head could have been lost in space by now.

Plenty of people said plenty of things about Bess and to Bess after Kansas City.

“It came down to me,” he said. “I had to work it out myself.

“I had to look in the mirror, look myself in the eye and tell myself, stay the course. Keep swinging.”

That was it for Bess’ day as a pass catcher. As a punt returner, he had two chances to field the ball, making clean fair catches.

The second fourth-and-1 play might turn out to be the biggest play of the season, one everyone will look back on if the Browns make a run.

“It was a huge play, probably the biggest play of the game,” Campbell said. “Davone made a great play. I was so happy for him.”

It led to a field goal and a 23-17 lead with 14 seconds left.

Bess was asked if he felt redeemed. He laughed, as if to say, you can only imagine.